michaels



Feb. 9, 1960 E. c. MICHAELS PACKING ASSEMBLY FOR VALVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 20, 1954 INVENTOR. EUGENE C. MICHAELS PARKER & CARTERATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1960 E. c. MICHAELS 2,924,233

PACKING ASSEMBLY FOR VALVES Filed Sept. 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. EUGENE C. MICHAELS PARKER & c ER ATTORN Un t d m? P w PACKINGASSEMBLY FOR VALVES Eugene C. Michaels, Chicago, 11].

Application September 20, 1954, Serial No. 457,210

11 Claims. (Cl. 137-315) the valve operating stem and serves to seal offthe valve operating elements from the pressure in the valve. In thenormal use of this type of valve the diaphragm is flexed during movementof the'stem. The diaphragm is subjected to deteriorated effects bothfrom this movement and from the pressure within the valve. It becomesworn with use and requires replacement. this type, replacement of thediaphragm required taking thevalve out of service. A major object of thepresent invention is the provision of a new and improved diaphragmpacked valve assembly wherein the valve need not be taken out of servicewhen it is necessary to change the diaphragm.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improvedmeans for sealing off the diaphragm from the pressure withinthe valvewhen the valve is either in the fully opened or fully closed position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved valve wherein improved actuating meansare provided for forcinga valve closure element into its fully opened or fully closed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmechanism for insuring a firm and fluid-tight seal between the diaphragmand the valve when the valve is either in its fully'opened or fullyclosed position.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the ensuingspecification and claims.

Referring generally now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an assembly view in section showing the improved valve'ofthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing another operativeposition of the valve element shown in Figure 1.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout thespecification and drawings.

With specific reference to Figure 1, I illustrate a valve body 1 havinga first passage 2 communicating through a chamber 3 with a secondpassage 4. Valve body 1 may have the customary attaching flanges 5 and6. In this form of valve the passage 2 terminates in a portion 7 whichis inclined to the main axis of thepassages 2 and 4. A main valve seat 8is defined by a circumferentially extending lip portion formed in thebody of the valve between passage 2 and the chamber 3. Chamber 3 isdefined by ahollow upstanding body portion 9 which has its axisextending perpendicular to the main valve seat 8/ In this form of valvea valve closure element indicated generally at 10 is carried by a stem11. The valve closure element 10 is preferablyin the form of a discformed on In prior valves of the lower portion of the stem 11. Itincludes packing Patented Feb. 9, 1960 2 material 10a, which is formedin a-circular recess in'the face of the'disc exposed to the valve seat8. It also includes packing material 10b on the opposite face of thedisc. The packing material 10b may also be formed. in a recess in thedisc. The packing material 10av and 10b which may be formed of rubber orthe like is preferably joined by means of packing material extendingthrough apertures between the recesses, as 'at 100. When the valveclosure element'is forced downwardly against the valve seat 8 thepacking material 10a is compressed to fame tight seal and preventcommunication between passages 2 and 4. v

Movement of'the stem 11 from the position shown in Figure l to theposition shown in Figure 2 forces the valve closure element into firmsealing engagement with the main valve seat 8 and thereby closes offcommunication between the passages 2 and 4. A hand wheel 12 isthreadably mounted in a bonnet 13 as by means of any suitable bushing14. The hand wheel and bushing 14 threadably engage an upper portion 15of the stem to thereby move the valve closure element 10 toward and awayfrom the main valve seat 8. In conventional prac tice a diaphragmusually surroundsthe stem and serves as a seal between the bonnet 13and'that portion of the body of the valve surrounding the stem.

According to my invention, I position a plate-like element or barriermember 17 between the upstanding portion 9 and an auxiliary, removablehousing 18 which surrounds the valve stem. The plate or barrier orauxiliary seating member 17 has a pair of oppositely facing auxiliaryvalve seats thereon. One auxiliary. valve seat may be formed by a lip 19surrounding the stem 11 and facing towards the main valve seat 8. Theother auxiliary valve seat may be defined by a second lip 20 surroundingthe stem 11 and facing toward the operating'means for'the valve stem.Housing 18,and the plate 17 may be secured to the upstanding portion 9in fluid-tight relation by means of any suitable capscrews or bolts 21.V

A diaphragm packing which is formed of any suitable flexible materialsuch as rubber or a rubber substitute, is indicated generally at 22. Thediaphragm packing 22 is seated between the bonnet 13 and the upperportion of the housing or sleeve 18. The bonnet, diaphragm packing andsleeve may be secured in fluid-tight relation bycap: screws or the like23. The threaded portion of the valve operated stem passes through thecentral portion of the diaphragm and the central portion of thediaphragm. is held tightly against the stem by means of a nut 24. I

I The operated stem for the valve includes an intermediate portion 25which is threadably received by the upper threaded portion 15 of thestem and a lower portion 2670f the stem. The nut 24 forces the centralportion of the diaphragm packing 22 into tight sealing relation with theintermediate portion 25.

The intermediate portion 25 of the valve operating stem extends througha bearing projection 27 formed unitarily with the sleeve or housing 18.

I employ a locking means indicated generally at for forcing the valveclosure element 10 into tight sealmg engagement with the main valve seat8 or the auxiliary valve seat 19, and for holding the closure elementin- 10b firmly against the valve seat 19, and when the valve closureelement 10 is in the position shown'in 'Figiire 2 the surface 34 ispositioned for engagement by the pin.

Ineither of these positions extension of the'pin 29 against thecooperating surface exerts a camming action on thevalvesstem.tofleffectatight seal between thevclosure elee meat 10 andthevalve seat 8or the auxiliary valve'seat.

19, as the case-may be... .r 1 l The pin 29 is threadablyreceived by .abushing 35 which isintturn threadably received as at 36 within a bore inthehousing. 37 indicates any'suitable packing between thefbushingtandtheinner end of the bore and ,37a indicates a stop pin which preventslocking pin 29 from coming unscrewed after end portion 32'disengagesth'erecesses. By rotating the bu'shing 35.inward1y so as to compressthepacking37 a tight seal isQeiTectedbetvveen the sleeve and the pin 29.At any position of the bushing a set screw 38 may be tightened to holdthe'bushin'g in that position. Pin 29'may. include any suitablehead t.-a '1 which will fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.' Thescope of the invention, therefore, ShOlild be the scope of thehereinafter appended limited only by claims.

I claim: v

1.'A diaphragm packed valve assembly including .a valve body havingpassages therein, said passages being in communication with one anotherthrough a chamber in said body one of said passages having a valve seatbetweensaid one'passage and said chamber, a closure element adapted formovement intocontact with said valve seat tothereby close said valveandioperating means for moving said element toward andaway from said"valve seat, a diaphragmipack'ing for sealing 05 said operating meansfrom said chamber, said. operating means being adapted to reciprocate avalve stem connected to said 39.for casein rotating the pin and forcingitinto and I out of engagement with the valve stem. g I also employ ameans for relieving the pressure on the diaphragm 22 when the valveisclosed; The intermediate portion 25 includes a flared lower end-40forming asecond closure element or an auxiliaryv sealing element. Thisflared lower end portion 40 includes packing material 41 surrounding thelower portion of the stem 26. The packing may be formed in a recess inthe portion 40. l The lower side of the lowerend 40 and packing'fc'luding means for positively forcingnone or the other of material 41are positioned so that in the closed position of the valve the packingmaterial 41 is forced tightly against the auxiliary seat 20, thuseffectively sealing, ed the chamber 3 from the sleeve 18 and diaphragm22 when the valve is in the closed position. The lower portionfof thestem is threadably received by the intermediate portion 25, of the sternand thus the user of the valve 'is able to adjust the spaced relation ofthe closure element 40 and the closure element 10 so as to insure afluid-tight seal across both the seat 8 and the auxiliary seat when thevalve is in a closed position. -Any suitable ,set-

screw 43 may hold the lower portion 26 and intermediate portion in thedesired relation. The closure element i ing elements relative to theother.

element, a first sealing element-surrounding said stem and positionedbetween said chamber and saiddiaphragm,

and cooperating sealing elements carriedby said stem, said last namedelements being selectively .engageable withsaid first sealing elementvvhensaid closurefelement is rriovedv toward and away from said valve.seat to thereby relieve the diaphragm from the pressure in said chamber.s r

2. The structure of claim 1, characterized by and insaid cooperatingsealing elements into engagement with said first sealing elementwhensaid closure element is initsfullyfopen or fully closed position.

3.1, The structure of claim '1characterized by and ineluding means foradjusting one of said cooperatingseal 1 '4. In a diaphragm pack d valve,a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and a fluid flow passagetherebetween, a jvalve seat inthe fluid flow passage, a stem for fore-ying a, closure elementlagainstsaid seat and operating -means forreciprocating said stem, aremovable sleeve 10, auxiliary sealing element40, the stem 11, 25,

15 forms a closure member.

Whenever it becomes necessary wardly to, engage either the recess 30 orthe recess 31,

. depending upon whether or not" it is desired to leave to changethehdiaphragm packing 22 the user may rotate'the pin 29 ,in-,

I operating sealing elementsfbeing.selectively"engageable" the valve inthe fully opened position or the fully. closed position. Actuation-ofthe locking pin 29 in 'eitherof these positions serves to compress thepacking material -41or 10b, as the case may be, and efiect the sealingbetween the chamber 3 and the interior of the sleeve.

If desired, the diaphragm 22 may be removed and re placed on an entireoperating assembly, including the bonnet, hand wheel, the upper threadedstern portion .and diaphragm may be replaced.

.I wish to emphasize the importance, -of the plate-like element 17between the main valve body and the auxiliary housing 18. Thisconstruction facilitates casting of the auxiliary housing 18 and in caseit is desired to line the interior of the housng 18 with rubber or othermate:

Whereas {have shown and described an operative forrrt positioned betweensaid operating means and saidvalve seat and a diaphragm packing betweensaid operating means and said sleeve, and meansjfor relieving saiddiaphragm from the .pressurein saidvalve including an auxiliaryuseatingjmember surrounding said stem and posijtioned' between said sleeve andsaid valve seats-andncooperating sealing elements .carried'by ,said stemon"opposite sidesof said auxiliary seating member, said with theauxiliary seating member whensaid closure element is moved toward andaway from saidvalve seat to thereby seal off thediaphragm frompressurefin the valve body when any of the cooperating sealingelementsfengage the auxiliary seating member, y 1

5. A packing assembly for valves including a valve body havinga valveseat therein, 'a stern for forcing a closureelem'ent against said seatand operatingmeans of my invention, 1 wishit to be understood .that thisShDWf ing is to be taken in anillustrative or diagrammaticflsense only;There are manymodifications to the invention wh h. wi l be apparent to,those in the a t H r for reciprocating said stem, an auxiliaryreinovableflhousing surrounding .saidfstem and packing means betweensa'id auxiliary housjing and.said operating means, and a removableplate-like element positioned between slaid auxiliary housing, and thevalve body, means for securing'said' auxiliary housing,' plate-likeelement and valve body in fluid type relation, said'plate like elementhaving opposed sealing lips surrounding" said stem, and spaced sealingelementsbarriedby said stem onf opposite sides of said plate-likeelement tothereby effect a sealbetween the valve body andjhous'ing.uponjrnovement of said valve stem in either of two opposite directions,whereby said 'packing'means may be removed when either sealing elemeritcarried by the stem is in engagementwith saidplatclikeelement.

' A d ph a passages 'being in communication with one another through avalveseat inthe body, .a closure element adapted for movementintocontact withdhevalve'seat toclose communicat on etw en s d 'P 8. 3$ sree issl' ani packed valve assemblygincluding a valve body having inletand outlet passages thereinpthe I for moving the closure element towardand away from the valve seat, a diaphragm packing for sealing off theoperating means from the passages, an auxiliary sealing element carriedby the operating means and positioned between the closure element andthe diaphragm, said closure element having a portion in adjustableengagement with said auxiliary sealing element to thereby vary thelineal distance between the closure element and the auxiliary sealingelement, and an auxiliary seating member between the closure element andthe auxiliary sealing element and adapted for seating engagement withthe auxiliary sealing element when the closure member engages the valveseat to thereby seal off the diaphragm from the pressure in the valve.

7. A diaphragm packed valve assembly including a valve body having aninlet and an outlet passage therein, the passages being in communicationwith one another through a valve seat in one passage, a closure elementadapted for movement into contact with the valve seat to thereby preventcommunication between the passages, operating means for moving theclosure element toward and away from the valve seat, a diaphragm packingfor sealing off the operating means from the passages, means for sealingthe diaphragm from the line pressure within the valve body when theclosure element is alternately in and out of sealing engagement with thevalve seat including an auxiliary sealing element between the closureelement and the diaphragm, a portion of the closure element being inadjustable engagement with the auxiliary sealing element whereby thedistance between the closure element and the auxiliary sealing elementmay be varied, and a barrier member surrounding that portion of theclosure element in adjustable engagement with the auxiliary sealingelement, said barrier member having an auxiliary seat engageable withthe auxiliary sealing element when the closure element engages the valveseat.

8. A flexible diaphragm valve assembly characterized in that thediaphragm may be removed in the open and closed position of the valveincluding a valve housing having an inlet and an outlet passage with amain valve seat therebetween and an aperture in the housing incommunication with the passages, a separate, auxiliary seating memberhaving upper and lower auxiliary valve seats mounted on the housing, thelower auxiliary seat being generally aligned with the housing aperture,a removable sleeve mounted on the auxiliary seating member, said sleevehaving an internal projection with a passage therein, a closure memberin the sleeve having a stem portion received within the passage in theinternal projection, the stern further extending through the aux- 1liaryseating member, a first sealing disc at the lower end of the closuremember, said disc being disposed between the main valve seat and lowerauxiliary valve seat and adapted to make sealing contact with the seatswhen in alternate engagement with them, a second sealing disc on theclosure member having a sealing surface cooperable with the upperauxiliary valve seat, operating means for moving the sealing discs intoalternate engagement with first the lower auxiliary valve seat and thensimultaneously with the main valve seat and upper auxiliary valve seat,and a flexible diaphragm on the sleeve for sealing the operating meansfrom the valve housing.

9. An adapter unit for relieving the pressure on a flexible diaphragm ina flexible diaphragm valve assembly including an auxiliary seatingmember having upper and lower auxiliary valve seats, said seating memberbeing adapted to be received on a valve housing, a removable sleeveadapted to be received on the seating member at its lower end and toreceive a flexible diaphragm on its upper end, a closure member in thesleeve having a first sealing disc with upper and lower sealingsurfaces, at second sealing disc on the closure member having a sealingsurface, operating means for moving the closure member to thereby bringthe first sealing disc into sealing engagement with the lower auxiliaryvalve seat and alternately to bring the second sealing disc 'intosealing engagement with the upper auxiliary valve seat to therebyrelieve the interior of the sleeve from the pressure in the valve whileeither of the sleeve discs in engagement 7 with the auxiliary sealingmember, and locking means for maintaining the sealing discs in alternatesealing engagement with the auxiliary valve seats including a lockingmember extending through the sleeve and positively v ing means furthercomprises travel limiting and position indicating means for the pinincluding a stop pin extending through the sleeve exteriorly of thethreaded portion of the pin, the stop pin being engageable with thelocking pin, said stop pin being axially outwardly spaced far enoughalong the locking pin to permit disengagement of the pin with the stembefore impingement of the pm threads on the stop pin.

11. An adapter assembly for relieving the pressure on a flexiblediaphragm in a flexible diaphragm valve assembly to thereby permitremoval of the diaphragm during use including a sleeve having a lowerend adapted for connection to a valve housing and the upper end to aflexible diaphragm, an auxiliary valve seat at the lower end of thesleeve, an internal projection in the sleeve'having a bore therethroughfor the reception of the stem of a valve closure element, saidprojection occupying less than the entire cross-sectional internal areaof the sleeve to thereby permit free communication of fluid between theupper and lower ends of the sleeve, a valve closure element, a stem forthe valve closure element slidably received within the bore in theinternal projection, said stem being loosely received within theauxiliary valve seat at all angular positions of the stem with respectto the auxiliary valve seat, said closure element being located betweenthe auxiliary valve seat and the valve housing at the lower end of thestem, said closure element having upper and lower surfaces extendingoutwardly from the stem, both the upper and lower surfaces havingrecesses filled with packing material, said stem being adapted at itsupper end for attachment to the flexible diaphragm and to operatingmeans for moving the closure element into and out of engagement with theauxiliary seat, locking means for maintaining the closure element insealing engagement with the auxiliary valve seat including a locking pinextending through the sleeve and internal projection and terminating ina surface cooperable with a complemenatry surface on the stem to therebyforce the upper surface of the closure element into snug engagement withthe auxiliary valve seat, and second operating means for moving thelocking pin in to and out of engagement with the stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS774,985 Jones Nov. 15, 1904 787,627 Lippold Apr. 18, 1905 1,119,948Green Dec. 8, 1914 1,157,956 Osborne Oct. 26, 1915 1,185,789 Garbe June6, 1916 1,302,567 LaBour May 6, 1919 1,860,468 MacLean May 31, 19321,970,964 Hosmer Aug. 21, 1934 2,049,516 Ruhstorfer Aug. 4, 19362,223,702 Penick Dec. 3, 1940 2,598,224 Clonts May 27, 1952 2,642,255Lindgren June 16, 1953 2,682,386 Lindsay June 29, 1954 2,766,829 WattsOct. 16, 1956

